Much of the country is in a deep freeze right now, which makes me want to hunker down and savor soups and stews.

There’s nothing like looking forward to a warm, fulfilling bowl of soup on a frigid day. I hosted a soup party this week, which are always fun. Usually I have potluck but since I had to create soups for my column, I created them all and aimed to satisfy a variety of tastes.

My favorite is the Green Chile Pork Stew because it’s so easy and has a lot of flavor. I simply seared the pork for 7 minutes, then transferred it to a slow cooker and cooked it for 6 hours with onions, green salsa, beer, chilies, chicken broth and cilantro.

When it was done, the pork was incredibly tender and the mix was so flavorful. It is slightly spicy, so I cooled it off with sour cream, cheese and avocado. You could also add a can of hominy to the soup in the last hour and that adds depths and cools it off a little.

I recommend a specific green salsa (available at Walmart) because green salsa quality varies dramatically and it’s often too salty or too runny or too spicy, and this one is perfect. If you can’t find it, use your favorite brand.

Another soup I served was a mushroom leek soup which was fairly easy and delicious. What really sets it off is the Boursin cheese I stir in at the end that adds richness and great flavor. It sets this soup apart from other mushroom soups. I used milk in my version, but half and half is even better. I was trying to scale back on some calories which is why I used milk. The soup is seasoned with a little thyme and hint of red wine. I loved it.

The most time-consuming soup (and expensive to make) was the Roasted Tomato Basil Soup I crafted for my husband. He loves tomato basil soups, although they are not my favorite.

I did enjoy the fact it provided a taste of summer in the middle of winter with the tomato and basil. For the recipe, I roast both Roma and tomatoes on the vine because those tend to more flavorful this time of year when it is challenging to get a good tomato.

First, I roasted them for an hour, then cooked the mixture another 35 minutes on the stovetop. At the end, I mixed in heavy cream, goat cheese and Parmesan to cut the acid in the soup. I served it with croutons. He loved it.

I hope you enjoy the recipes. Stay warm.

This Mushroom Leek soup is delicious and gets a flavor boost by Boursin I stirred in at the end. You could substitute another herbed soft cheese if you cannot find Boursin.(Photo: Juliana Goodwin)

Mushroom Leek Soup

4 tablespoons canola oil

4 leeks

1 celery stalk

16 ounces sliced baby Portobello mushrooms

2 tablespoons flour

1 ¾ cup chicken stock

1/4 cup dry red wine

2 cups milk or half and half

2 cloves garlic

2 bay leaves

¼ teaspoon thyme leaves

¼ cup Boursin garlic and herb cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the green part off of leeks and either discard or save for a future stock; you only use the white part of a leek, but I save the green to make stock. Slice the white part of leek horizontally, then drop the leeks in a bowl of water and shake them to remove any dirt. Leave them for 5 minutes.

I bought pre-cut mushrooms for this recipe to make it easy.

Dice the celery. Chop 2 cloves of garlic and set aside. Remove and dry the leeks and then slice them.

Heat the oil in a large pot. When it’s hot, add the celery, mushrooms and leeks. Cook for 4 minutes, then add the flour. Stir for about 2 minutes to thoroughly coat the mushrooms with flour. When the mixture starts to get dry, add the wine. As it continues to get dry, add ¼ cup of stock at a time. You want to cook out the flour taste and thicken the sauce but do not add all the stock at once.

After 12 minutes, add remaining stock, milk or half and half, garlic, bay leaves thyme and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 5-7 minutes. Then stir in Boursin until melted. Serve with rustic bread.

Green Chile Pork Stew

2 pounds of pork roast or shoulder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon chili powder

2 tablespoons canola oil

7-ounces of lager beer (Corona Extra works)

2 cups chicken stock

1 red onion, chopped

1 cup chopped cilantro

1 (4-ounce) can of green chilies

1 (16-ounce) jar of World Table Roasted Salsa Verde green salsa

Sour cream, cheese, avocado for serving

Tortilla chips for serving

Chop pork into bite-size pieces. Toss in the cumin and chili powder to coat the meat.
In a large skillet, heat the oil. Sear the pork for 5-7 minutes, tossing to sear the spices into the meat. Transfer to a slow cooker. Add all the remaining ingredients, stir and cover pot. Set the slow cooker on the 6 or 8 hour timer and when it’s done, serve with garnishes like sour cream, cheese, avocado slices and chips.

This Roasted Tomato Basil Soup was my husband’s favorite, but it is time consuming and the most expensive soup in the bunch. It provides a taste of summer in the dead of winter.(Photo: Juliana Goodwin)

Roasted Tomato Basil Soup

3 large Roma tomatoes

2 pounds of tomatoes on the vine

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

3 cloves of garlic, sliced

1 ½ cups fresh basil

1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large red onion

2 cups chicken broth

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced fire roasted tomatoes

1 (14.5-ounce) can stewed Italian tomatoes

1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar

4 ounces goat cheese crumbles

½ cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

1 1/3 cups heavy whipping cream

1 bag Italian style croutons for serving

Parmesan cheese for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice tomatoes in half and spread in a large baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil and salt over tomatoes. Slice the garlic and sprinkle half of it over tomatoes. Bake for 1 hour.

When tomatoes are done, cool for 20 minutes. Then place tomatoes and their juices in a blender with 1 cup basil, and roasted bell peppers, and blend until smooth. Chop the onion.

In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and sauté the onion for 5 minutes. Then add chicken broth, tomato puree, both cans of canned tomatoes with their juices, Italian seasoning, remaining garlic , balsamic vinegar and sugar. Simmer soup for 30 minutes. Then slowly whisk in heavy whipping cream and cheeses. Add remaining basil and cook on low for 3 minutes.

Serve with croutons and additional cheese.

Juliana Goodwin is author of “Rotisserie Chicken Queen: 50 Fabulous Recipes That Start with Rotisserie Chicken.” If you have a question concerning a recipe, email julianalovesfood23@gmail.com

This Roasted Tomato Basil Soup was my husband’s favorite, but it is time consuming and the most expensive soup in the bunch. It provides a taste of summer in the dead of winter.(Photo: Juliana Goodwin)